Compressible soft asbestos free gasket material

Abstract

A gasket material comprised of fibrillated aramid fibers, diatomaceous earth and either a polyethylacrylic or polybutylacrylic latex alone or in combination with conventional curatives, antioxidants and pigments. The constituent materials are combined in a beater-addition process, and the pliable gasket material is then formed on conventional paper making equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compressible soft asbestos free gasket material comprising: 5-40% of the total solids being fibrillated aramid fibers;   25-85% of the total solids being diatomaceous earth;   0.5-10% of the total solids being phenolic resin; 5-25% of the total solids being a polyacrylic latex selected from the group consisting of ethylacrylates, butylacrylates and combinations thereof; and   1-10% of the total solids being selected from the group including crosslinker, antioxident, and pigments.     
     
     
       2. The gasket material of claim 1 wherein said diatomaceous earth is of a particle size ranging between 1-100 microns. 
     
     
       3. The gasket material of claim 1 wherein said crosslinker is acrylonitrile. 
     
     
       4. The gasket material of claim 1 wherein said polyacrylic latex comprises: 1% to 70% of a polyacrylic solid and a small amount of acrylonitrile.   
     
     
       5. The gasket material of claim 4 wherein said polyacrylic solid is comprised of 90% polyacrylic and 10% acrylonitrile. 
     
     
       6. The gasket material of claim 1 wherein said aramid fibers are of a length ranging between one-half and 4 millimeters and a diameter between 0.001 to 0.0035 millimeters.